The present invention relates to an image outputting method, a digital exposure amount image information calculating method, a converting information producing method, a converting information recording medium, and an image outputting system.
At the outset, the digital exposure used hereinafter means that an image exposure is conducted based on digital image signals so as to form an image. The digital exposure is not limited by a specific exposing means. That is, as an exposure means for the digital exposure, a scanning exposure means with a laser beam, a one dimensional exposure means with a single array light source in which plural light emitting elements such as LEDs are aligned in a line, a two dimensional exposure means with plural array light sources, a projecting exposure means with a CRT screen and so on may be used.
Conventional technique 1.
Conventionally, in order to output an image by an image outputting means in which an image is outputted by digital exposure for a photosensitive material on the basis of digital image information expressed in an arbitrary color space system, the following method is generally used. Relationship between an original image information expressed in an arbitrary color space system and a obtained final image are obtained. Further, relationship between input value for the image outputting means and the obtained final image is obtained. Converting information to convert the original image information into input values for the image outputting means is obtained from the relationship between the original digital image information and the obtained final image and the relationship between the input values for the image outputting means and the obtained final image. The digital image exposure is conducted for the photosensitive material by obtaining the input values for the image outputting means from the digital image information expressed in an arbitrary color space system on the basis of the obtained converting information, thereby outputting the image by the image outputting means.
Conventional technique 2.
In the case of obtaining a great number of color prints from B, G, R digital image information, a color negative film is formed with sublimation type pigment image by using a sublimation type thermal transfer printer, a color image is exposed and printed from the color negative film onto a color printing photosensitive material, thereby obtaining the color prints.
Conventional technique 3.
Further, in the case of obtaining a great number of color prints from B, G, R digital image information, a silver halide color negative photographic film used for photographing is subjected to digital exposure on the basis of B,G,R digital image information and a color negative film is obtained by developing the exposed silver halide color negative photographic film. Then, a color image is exposed and printed from the color negative film onto a color printing photosensitive material, thereby obtaining the color prints.
Conventional technique 4.
This technique is similar to Conventional technique 3. That is, in conventional technique 5, a silver halide color negative photographic film used for photographing is subjected to digital exposure on the basis of digital image information and a color negative film is obtained by developing the exposed silver halide color negative photographic film. Then, a color image is exposed and printed from the color negative film onto a color printing photosensitive material, thereby obtaining the color prints. It may be consider for an ordinary person in view of this technique to record an image by utilizing all recordable density region of the negative film. However, how to use the density region is not clear.
Conventional technique 5.
This technique is also similar to Conventional technique 3. That is, in conventional technique 5, a silver halide color negative photographic film used for photographing is subjected to digital exposure on the basis of digital image information and a color negative film is obtained by developing the exposed silver halide color negative photographic film. Then, a color image is exposed and printed from the color negative film onto a color printing photosensitive material, thereby obtaining the color prints. In the case that a synthesized image of a pattern image and a photographic image is formed on a silver halide negative photographic film by digital exposure on the basis of pattern image information and digital photographic image information, it may be difficult for an ordinary person in view of this technique to consider to separate the density range of the pattern image from the density range of the photographic image.
In Conventional technique 1, it is necessary to obtain relationship between the original digital image and the obtained final image. Since color reproducibility of the entire system has to be obtained, it may be difficult to obtain the relationship correctly. As a result, only improper converting information from which proper output image may not be obtained has been obtained. Further, even if proper converting information is obtained, when fluctuation in the exposure level of the digital exposure of the image outputting means, fluctuation in the developing level or deviation in the characteristics among lot of the photosensitive materials takes place, it is necessary to obtain all over again the relationship between the original digital image information and the obtained final image and the relationship between the input values for the image outputting means and the obtained final image. Such a work requires much labor. Since the fluctuation in the exposure level of the digital exposure of the image outputting means, the fluctuation in the developing level or the deviation in the characteristics among lot of the photosensitive materials often takes place, and since many measuring operations and skillful technique are required for obtaining the relationship between the original digital image information and the obtained final image and the relationship between the input values for the image outputting means and the obtained final image, many customers have outputted image by using the converting information used hitherto without obtaining all over again the relationship between the original digital image information and the obtained final image and the relationship between the input values for the image outputting means and the obtained final image. As a result, in many cases, high quality image output could not be obtained.
The first objective of the present invention is to make it easy to deal with the fluctuation in the exposure level of the digit al exposure of the image outputting means, the fluctuation in the developing level or the deviation in the characteristics among lot of the photosensitive materials.
In Convention al technique 2, since a color negative film is formed with sublimation type pigment image by using a sublimation type thermal transfer printer, the producing efficiency is low. Further, it may be difficult with the current technique to form a color negative film with high resolution. Still further, since a relative large size color negative film is produced and an image is exposed and printed from the obtained relatively large size color negative film onto a color printing photosensitive material so as to obtain color prints, a large size printing exposure section is needed.
From the problems in Conventional technique 2, the technique of Conventional technique 3 may come to attention. However, the following problems may be pointed out for the silver halide photographic color negative film. It may be necessary to subtract the influence of sub-absorption of color dies constituting an image on the silver halide photographic color negative film. There may be deviation between an actual image seen from an object by eyes and a memory image of the object or deviation between an actual color of the object and memory color. Developing effect among photosensitive layers generally takes place due to the reason that peoples usually like prints reproduced brightly.
The developing effect among photosensitive layers is an effect to refrain another primary color from coloring for exposure to color a specific primary color.
In some cases, the similar correction to the developing effect among photosensitive layers has been already applied to B.G.R digital image information. Therefore, in the step of producing a color negative film, if the developing effect among photosensitive layers is further applied, the developing effect among photosensitive layers becomes strong excessively. As a result, chrome is so overemphasized that abnormal color prints color differently from original color are produced.
The second objective of the present invention is to correct the influence of the developing effect among photosensitive layers so as to prevent chroma from being overemphasized due to the developing effect among photosensitive layers so that abnormal prints may be avoided and color prints with a natural feeling can be obtained.
With an ordinary conception in view of Conventional technique 4, if an image is recorded by using all density region recordable on a silver halide color negative photographic film, since flare may take place as a special problem of digital exposure on an ordinary apparatus manufactured at reasonable cost, a range capable of controlling exposure intensity very well is narrow. As a result, it may be difficult to record a density in the vicinity of the maximum density in the density region capable of being recorded on the silver halide color negative photographic film. If conducting such a recording, flare is apt to take place. Further, with the density in the vicinity of the minimum density of the density region capable of being recorded on the silver halide color negative photographic film, the characteristic becomes unstable.
The third objective of the present invention is to avoid the special problems of the digital exposure so as to make it easy to obtain good prints.
With an ordinary conception in view of Conventional technique 5, if a synthesized image is subjected to digital exposure, since flare may take place as a special problem of digital exposure on an ordinary apparatus manufactured at reasonable cost, it may be difficult to control the light amount delicately. The digital exposure fluctuates delicately due to flare, a pattern image my not be formed in a sharp image.
The fourth objective is to make it possible by avoiding the special problem of the digital exposure to obtain a print on which a pattern image is formed in a sharp image capable of being discriminated from a photographic image even if a synthesized image of the pattern image and the photographic image is printed.